Chapter 844: Frost [2]

"Wuu... Wuu... Wu..."

The soft whimpers reached us even before we could get to the door. While Evelyn’s steps quickened, mine slowed. I didn’t need to look to understand what had happened, and sure enough, the moment Evelyn finally reached the door to the safe-house, her expression froze.

"Wuuuu... Wu... Wuuuu..."

Though soft, the whimpers felt even louder.

"A-ah, this..."

Evelyn’s face bleached completely, her shoulders trembling.

Velar, on the other hand, stood there with a blank expression, as if he couldn’t fully comprehend the sight in front of him.

He looked completely out of it.

...And when I finally managed to push past them and see what was happening, my heart hardened.

"A-ah, shit."

"Wuuuu. Wuuuu."

As the cries grew louder, my attention fell on the figure standing over the two children, quietly shielding them. My heart tightened as I stared at them. Especially the moment I activated

[Mana Sense]

.

’Gone.’

There was no trace of mana inside of her.

She was... gone.

"C-chloe... Wuu... Wuuu..."

Penelope’s small body lay cradled in a cold embrace, Chloe’s entire body frozen solid as she shielded the two children behind her.

Ilyen was no different.

He was similarly crying, but no sound came out of his lips.

It didn’t take a genius to understand what had happened.

’...In the time that we were away and Velar’s heat faded, Chloe sacrificed herself in order to protect the children.’

I turned my attention towards Evelyn and pressed my entire body tensed once more. Thankfully, despite the subtle trembling of her shoulders, she didn’t let the darkness overwhelm her as she took in the scene in silence.

There seemed to be many things that she wanted to say, but...

"Wuuu. "

The cries of the children prevented her from saying anything.

But soon, as if finally noticing our presence, the children stopped. Penelope’s head slowly turned in our direction.

"Waaaaa!!"

And her crying grew louder.

As if finally snapping out of it, Evelyn rushed forward to help the children.

"Where were you? Where were you? Wuuu! Wuuu...!"

Penelope’s crying grew louder, and while Evelyn helped her, the only thing she could murmur was the repeated, ’I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I’m sorry.’

I also moved, trying my best to help the children.

But right as Evelyn managed to move Penelope, we both froze.

"Ah..."

"Wuuu. Ilyen! Ilyen...!!"

My expression sank as I turned to look at Evelyn.

"Can you do something about the situation?"

"...I can try."

Evelyn turned her attention back to the boy, more specifically, to his legs, which were both encased in ice. She passed Penelope to me as I quietly embraced the crying girl as even more tears streamed down her face, and she cried, "Save Ilyen. He... He..."

"I know. I know."

She didn’t need to tell me this, as I looked at Evelyn.

Her expression was taut as she placed her hand over the boy’s legs. Lightning crackled around her fingers and flared in her eyes as she tried to drive out the ice that had crept deep into his limbs.

Cra Crack! Cra Crack—!

There was nothing to say about her current control.

The moment Evelyn began, it was clear her lightning was different from before. It was thinner, clearly more controlled, and far less destructive. Even its color had changed. It was no longer the deep purple it once was, but a calm, vivid blue.

I could see in real time as the ice started to scrape off slowly from the young boy’s legs.

My eyes lit up at the sight.

’She’s doing it.’

But the joy was merely short-lived as sweat streamed down Evelyn’s face.

Crack!

Even as the last fragments of ice slid from the boy’s legs and shattered against the floor, Evelyn’s expression didn’t soften. Instead, it grew even more severe.

That was the moment I realized something was wrong.

"What’s—"

"I’ve removed the ice."

Evelyn stood up, her eyes returning to normal. I could see the exhaustion hidden within her features, but above all, I could see the effort she was putting in trying to keep her expression calm.

Looking at Ilyen, Evelyn smiled.

"You’re fine for now. You might not be able to move your legs, but I’ve gotten rid of the ice. I’ll help you slowly recover your legs soon. Okay?"

The young boy looked at Evelyn and then at his legs.

Eventually, he nodded.

That was also the moment the young girl next to me rushed towards him.

"Ilyen!!"

She hugged the young boy tightly, her face still filled with tears as her entire body trembled.

"Wuuu... C-chloe."

Tears also formed on the young boy’s face as we all turned to look at the newest statue that had formed. I took a deep breath before looking at Evelyn. From the start, she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts as she eventually turned away.

"I’ll be... taking some time to recover."

She mumbled, her voice barely reaching me.

"I need some time to recuperate. Try to be with the children while I recover. I think I’m getting close to solving this situation."

Evelyn didn’t say anything else after that.

Without looking back, she walked past the still-dazed Velar and moved to a quieter corner of the area, where she sat down and closed her eyes. Lightning began to crackle around her body once more. As I watched her for a moment, I then turned my gaze back to my arm, pulling the sleeve down as mist escaped from my breath.

’You better hurry...’

I shuddered silently.

’...I don’t think I can last for very long.’

*

It took a while to calm the children down. Despite everything that I tried, the two continued to cry for the next hour as they remained glued to each other. It wasn’t like I didn’t understand. I too was sad about Chloe’s death.

It was so unexpected that it left me at a complete loss.

But the children weren’t the ones who worried me the most. It was Velar.

Despite several hours having passed, he still remained dazed. He stayed quiet, staring blankly at Chloe’s frozen body. From the moment I’d met him, he’d always been calm. Even at Reginald’s and Ol’Sal’s deaths, he’d managed to keep his composure.

I didn’t need to read his emotions to know what he was thinking.

He was likely blaming himself for the entire situation.

Had he not left to pursue Evelyn, none of this would’ve happened. Had he stayed with them and protected them...

He was like an open book.

Leaning back against the wall, I held onto the children’s bodies while I carefully infused my mana into them, keeping them warm.

Haha.

It was now my turn to keep the place warm.

Looking at Evelyn and then Velar, I knew that I was the only one who could keep this place warm enough for the two children to remain warm.

But it was taking a toll on my body.

I was exhausted as well. I’d spent most of my mana outside, and without the warmth from Velar’s body, I could no longer recover it the way I had before. The only thing I could do now was use what little remained to keep everyone warm.

"S-summer."

A frail voice whispered next to me, her small body hunched together as she held tightly onto my hand.

"...I-I want to see it."

Holding onto the hand, I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes, trying my best to preserve my energy.

"Me too."

I mumbled, trying my best to recall it.

"...Me too."

***

’It’s your fault. You’re the reason why the situation is like this. Had you not lost control, none of this would’ve happened. Now another one has died. All because of you.’

’...You cause nothing but trouble. In the end, you’re just useless. What is the point of living like this? Just give up. Let someone else take over. Let your body no longer be useless.’

’You’re nothing. A failure.’

Voices continued to whisper inside Evelyn’s mind, repeating endlessly like hollow echoes that threatened to swallow her thoughts whole.

Unlike before, however, she didn’t let the voices take control of her mind.

She understood better.

’Everything has happened because I let myself fall for the voices. Not again.’

Clenching her teeth, Evelyn forced her focus back inward. Her mana began to circulate slowly, lightning crackling through her veins as the ice encasing her organs started to melt away bit by bit. With each fragment that faded, her mana gradually recovered, steadying itself once more.

She was different compared to before.

Evelyn was no longer helpless. She could see a way out. All she had to do was remain focused.

She couldn’t let herself get distracted.

’I can do it. I can do it.’

Thoughts of being useful, of taking credit, or being acknowledged by others were long gone. In this moment, all she cared about was resolving the situation. There wasn’t much time left, and if she didn’t act quickly, everyone else would be turned to ice.

She couldn’t allow things to progress further.

’I can do it. I can—’

"No!"

A scream brought Evelyn out of her thoughts.

The moment her eyes flared open, her head turned back.

"Shit."

Her expression sank the moment she caught a glimpse of Julien’s face.

"You..."

"Haha."

Julien laughed bitterly, trying his best to look okay as the children next to him clung to his body.

"N-o, not you too..."

Tears had already begun to form on their faces, but Julien merely smiled as he wiped their tears. His focus then turned towards Evelyn as he smiled.

"...It looks like... I can’t resist any longer."

Mist followed every word he spoke as chunks of ice crept along his cheeks and hair. Julien’s breathing grew softer with each passing moment, yet even as the children clung to him, his gaze never left Evelyn.

"....."

Her face didn’t change even as the ice clung to his body.

Evelyn’s hand twitched. She thought about stopping the ice from reaching deeper into his body, but stopped herself.

Even if she did do something, it wouldn’t change a thing.

Julien’s body...

It was practically devoid of mana.

Even if she tried to do something, it wouldn’t make any difference.

"J-julien! Not you two... You said we’d see the s-summer. J-julien. Wuu..."

"Wuuu... Wuuu."

Looking at the children, Julien raised his hand and patted them on the head. He didn’t say anything about the summer. Or anything related to it. Instead, he smiled at Evelyn.

"...You’re the only one left."

Chuckling again, his lips turned blue.

"I trust that you can take care of it without my help."

"..."

Evelyn’s jaw clenched, her fist tightening at her side. In the end, she closed her eyes and gave a slow nod.

"Don’t worry."

Flicking her finger, a thin bolt of lightning pierced into Julien’s chest, his expression freezing instantly. Moments later, his face relaxed, and ice surged in from every direction, rapidly encasing him until he was completely sealed within it, turned into a frozen statue.

Loud cries followed right after as the children clung to his body.

Taking in their cries, Evelyn turned around and walked away, her shoulders heavier than they had ever been.

’I can do it. I can do it. I...’

Will do it.